Hey, #DecRecs isn't quite over yet! I haven't been doing it so much recently because the Absolutive house got hit with covid, but things are improving, and I just observed that Owen King's extremely interesting book about an ill-fated proletariate revolution in a fascinating magical city is on sale for 99p on uk amazon today.
I wrote a review of it on my blog here, if you want to know more
For #DecRecs 18, allow me to DecRecommend Ed Yong's book 'An Immense World', which is a fascinating exploration of how animals perceive the world, and what sensory perception is, anyway. I picked it up a year and a half ago, because I LOVED 'I Contain Multitudes' and respect Yong's work as a scientific journalist enormously. But I've never cracked it until now, and I don't even regret delaying, because now it means I get to enjoy his work over this break!
Happy #DecRecs 17, my friends! Today's recommendation is 'Scales and Sensibility', by Stephanie Burgis, a delightful regency romp with magic, imposters, romance, and of course dragons. Incontinent dragons.
Today's recommendation is the Raven, Fisher, and Simpson series, by Ambrose Parry. Set in 19th century Edinburgh, it follows the crime-solving adventurers of a medical apprentice and a housemaid, both of whom work in the household of Dr James Simpson, a real historical obstetrician who also discovered chloroform.
Very well researched, well-written, atmospheric books. Start with 'The Way of All Flesh'.
I haven't finished The Virtu yet, so today's entry in #DecRecs is Labyrinth's Heart, book 3 of the Rook and Rose trilogy by M. A. Carrick (half of whom is @swan_tower )
Oh, you haven't read the first two? Lucky! You get to read all three for the first time! The only thing I so much as reading that trilogy for the first time was re-reading books 1 and 2 in preparation for book 3 when it dropped this year.
I started Katherine Addison (Sarah Monette)'s 'Melusine' yesterday, stayed up late reading, and got up early to finish it this morning. I was utterly engrossed. Enthralled. Captivated.
I also read several 1* reviews on Goodreads and, to be honest, I kind of agree with them all.
I still bought the other three in the series, though.
#DecRecs No.8 is 'Just Like Home', by Sarah Gailey. A woman goes home to look after her mother in her last days. Dark secrets in the woman's past surround something horrible that her father did (no, nothing sexual, relax). Her house, built by her father, is really super creepy. True-crime loving weirdos swarm all over it. But sometimes we must love monsters, no matter how monsterous they are. What is a monster, anyway?
Good morning! On this day, The Fifth of #DecRecs, allow me to suggest The Library of the Dead, by T. L. Huchu.
Set in parallel modern-day Edinburgh, where magic is part of life, living cheek-by-jowel with iphones and podcasts, and serves as yet another domain in which societal iniquities can play out. This version of Scotland is in rough shape, following vague Catastrophes, and young Ropa is just trying to look after her sister and gran, and kick ass.
The thing I like so much about #DecRecs looking back over all the terrific books I read over the past year.
Today's DecRec is 'How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse', by K. Eason.
Imagine that the fairy tale fantasy land of fairies granting wishes at christenings, and magic and alchemy, moved forward in time and developed spaceships and interplanetary trade alliances. This is that. Quirky and fun, with a dry wit and terrific characters.
Happy 2nd day of #DecRecs to those who celebrate! Today's recommendation is 'Even Though I Knew The End', by C. L. Polk. A thoughtful, wistful Chicago noir about a supernatural detective making deals with demons to sell (or redeem) her soul. Wonderful setting, clothes, mood, vibes; and a bittersweet approach to demon bargains that feels more real, somehow, than more traditional tales of this nature.
Today's is The Betrayals, by Bridget Collins. In an alternate early 20th century Europe, Not-Nazis are taking over Not-France, and an exiled government minister who showed a hair too much scruple is sent away. It's a book about small, weak people doing small, right things in bad times. Because when the world is turning fascist, grand acts of heroism will not turn it around; but frail acts goodness will help us survive it.